Route 174 is located along a large mapped sedimentary bedrock unit, known as the Marcellus Formation.

Since then, several minor realignments have been made in the areas of the villages of Marcellus and Camillus to accommodate newly built bypasses.

The highway then heads eastward for about a mile (1.6 km) to a turn along the shore of Otisco Lake.

North of Marietta, the lake narrows into the Nine Mile Creek, which parallels NY 174 for the rest of the highway's length.

[3] Within the town of Marcellus, NY 174 intersects and becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 20 (US 20) for about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) until Sevier Road.

[5] NY 174 is located along a geological feature known as a mapped sedimentary bedrock unit, known as the Marcellus Formation.

[8] The village of Marcellus was first settled in 1794 at the intersection of two transportation routes: an old Iroquois trail running east–west (later to become the Seneca Turnpike) and the north–south Nine Mile Creek.

[9] In 1831 the New York State Legislature authorized the construction of a road to follow Nine Mile Creek from Marcellus towards the town of Salina at Onondaga Lake.

[13][14] The route from Marcellus (at US 20) to Camillus was designated as NY 174 in the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York.

[28][29] In April 2008, the New York State Senate introduced and passed a bill to rename part of NY 174 as the "Father Joseph Champlin Memorial Highway".

[30][31] Also starting in 2008, the New York State Department of Transportation began a rehabilitation project on NY 174.

The Marcellus Falls bridge over Nine Mile Creek, also known as NY 174X, is closed off for a complete rehabilitation and a detour has been placed around it.

Construction is reduced to one lane between Main Street and Scotch Hill Road and will continue until June 24, 2008.